Hat

ABSTRACT

A hat has a head-covering part; a forward extension extending forwardly from said head-covering part; and an additional element extending substantially downwardly from said extension so as to at least reduce falling of light radiation onto user&#39;s eyes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to headware.

More particularly, it relates to hats having a forwardly projecting substantially horizontal part which is usually formed for protecting eyes from directly falling light, sunrays, etc.

The existing hats of the above mentioned general type are produced in many varieties and widely used by population. It is believed that such hats can be further improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hat of the above mentioned type which is a further improvement of the existing hats.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a hat which has a head-covering part; a forward extension extending forwardly from said head-covering part; and an element extending downwardly from said extension and being formed for reducing light radiation directed towards user's eyes.

When the hat is designed in accordance with the present invention, then in addition to the head-protecting functions and additional functions performed by the forward extension, also the user's eyes are protected from direct impingement by sun rays, bright light, etc.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the additional element is formed as a portion of an extension which is bendable downwardly, so as to form said element.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the additional element is formed as an additional layer which extends along the extension and has at least a portion bendable downwardly so as to provide said element.

In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention, the additional element is formed as a detachable element which can be attached to the extension of the hat.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing a hat in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing a hat in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a hat in accordance with still a further embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A hat in accordance with the present invention has a head-covering part which is identified in general with reference numeral 1. The head-covering part 1 can be of any shape and size. It can be completely solid and interrupted, or it can be provided with holes, or it can only partially cover the head of a user, in accordance with many possible modifications.

The hat in accordance with the present invention has a forward extension which is identified as a whole with reference numeral 2. The forward extension 2 is attached to a forward end of the head-covering part, as known in the art, and extends substantially horizontally. The term “substantially horizontally” means that the extension 2 can be completely flat and horizontal, or can be slightly curved as also well known in the art. The extension 2 is connected with the head-covering part 1 in a known manner, which is not germain for the present invention.

In accordance with the new features of the present invention, the hat is provided with an additional element which is identified with reference numeral 3. The main feature of the additional element 3 is that it is formed so as to at least reduce light radiation passing through this element. For example, it is formed so that it reduces penetration of sun rays through the element 3 so that a user is not blinded by the sun, or it reduces penetration of light so that the user is not blinded by lights of oncoming car, etc.

For this purpose the additional element 3 can be composed of a corresponding material, for example of a transparent plastic with properties impeding the penetration of light radiation. For example, the transparent plastic can be provided with corresponding pigment which reduces passage of the light radiation, or can be composed of light radiation reducing material as a whole, etc.

In accordance with the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the element 3 is formed turnable relative to the extension 2. In a simple case, the element 3 is formed as a part of the extension 2, but composed of a light radiation impeding material. It can be just bent down from the extension 2. For this purpose a connection area between the extension 2 and the element 3 can be formed weaker, so as to allow bending of the additional element 3 from the extension 2.

It is also possible to connect the additional element 3 with the extension 2 by connecting means formed so that the additional element 3 can be adjusted relative to the extension 2 at any desired angle relative to the extension 2 and therefore at the desired position relative to the user's eyes. For this purpose the additional element 3 can be connected with the extension 2 for example by a hinge 4. The hinge 4 can be formed by a pin which is immovably connected with the extension 2, and a loop provided in the additional element 3 and surrounding the pin 4, so as to allow the additional element 3 to pivot around the pin 4.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the loop on the additional element 3 has such an inner diameter that it is placed very tight on the pin of the hinge 4, so that the additional element 3 can be pivoted relative to the extension 2 and retained by the above mentioned tight connection in any of the desired angular positions relative to the extension 2.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. Here the hat also has a head-covering part 1′, and a forward extension 2′ which is connected with the head-covering part 1′. Here the additional element 3′ is formed by a separate layer which extends along the extension 2′ and has at least a portion which is turnable downwardly relative to a remaining portion of the additional layer. In this case, the whole area of the extension 2′ remains intact, and the light radiation protecting function is performed by a bendable-down portion of the additional layer 3′ located under the extension 2′.

Still further embodiments of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. Here the hat in accordance with the present invention also has a head-covering part 1″ and a forward extension 2″ which is connected with a head-covering part 1″. An additional element of this embodiment is formed somewhat differently. The additional element which is identified here with reference numeral 3″ is formed as a separate element which can be attached to the extension 2″, and detached from it. The additional element 3″ is also formed for impeding passage of light radiation.

Various connecting means can be used for detachedly connecting of the additional element 3″ with the extension 2″. In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the connecting means include a plurality of projections which are identified with reference numeral 5 and can be formed as mushroom-shaped projections on the additional element 3″, and a plurality of holes 6 provided on the extension 2″. The projections 5 and/or holes 6 can be elastically deformable so that by simple pressing of the projections 5 into the holes 6, the additional element 3″ can be connected with the extension 2″ by snap action.

On the other hand, the holes 6 can be elongated and the projections 5 can be elongated as well, so that the interconnection is formed by introducing the elongated projection 5 into the elongated hole 6 and then turning of the elongated projection to extend transversely to the direction of elongation of the corresponding hole, so as to provide a bayonet connection.

In accordance with the present invention, several additional elements 3″ can be provided and differ from one another by different degrees of permeability for light radiation, so that a user can select the corresponding one of the additional elements in accordance with needs, such as the degree of illumination, intensity of sun radiation, etc.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a hat, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A hat, comprising a head-covering part; a forward extension extending forwardly from said hat-covering part; and an additional element extending substantially downwardly from said extension so as to at least reduce falling of light radiation onto user's eyes, said additional element being arranged at a front side spaced from said head-covering part and at both lateral sides of said extension and removably connected with said extension.
 14. A hat as defined in claim 13, further comprising means for removably connecting said additional element to said forward extension and including at least three connecting elements provided in a front region at one lateral side and at an another lateral side of said forward extension and said additional element.
 15. A hat as defined in claim 14, wherein each of said connecting elements includes a slot and a projection extending through said slot and provided correspondingly on said forward extension and on said additional element.
 16. A hat as defined in claim 15, wherein each of said slots is elongated in a predetermined direction, each of said projections being also elongated and configured so that during a process of attachment of said additional element to said forward extension the elongated slot coincides with the elongated projection to extend through it and at the end of the process the elongated projection is turned so as to extend transversely to said slot. 